British megastar Charli XCX released her first album since the smash hit “Brat” on Friday, pivoting away from hyperpop with a moody, self-referential collection titled “Music, Fashion, Film”.
The 33-year-old’s seventh studio album departs from the club-ready sound of “Brat”, which dominated the summer of 2024. More understated in tone, the record explores the insecurity surrounding global fame and commercial success, echoing themes from her tongue-in-cheek mockumentary “The Moment”, released earlier this year.
Across 11 compact tracks, Charli examines identity, creativity and artistic immortality through electronic textures, guitar riffs and her signature deadpan lyrics. The black-and-white vinyl cover brings together figures from its three titular worlds: Velvet Underground musician John Cale, designer Marc Jacobs and filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
Canadian director David Cronenberg narrates the closing track, “No One Lasts Forever”, reflecting on whether artists truly experience the immortality of their work. His cult film “Crash” inspired Charli’s fifth album. French actor Vincent Cassel, who collaborated with Cronenberg last year, appears in the video for “Camera”.
Since completing her “Brat” tour, Charli has expanded into film, writing the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” and taking on smaller acting roles.
In “The Moment”, she plays a version of herself trying to escape the “brat” persona and resist industry pressure.
Early reviews have been enthusiastic. The Guardian awarded the album five stars, calling it “gorgeously astute and disarmingly deep”, while Billboard described it as a “fascinating, addictive” addition to an increasingly formidable body of work in contemporary pop music. — AFP
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